Tobi
Tobi is a Yoruba unisex given name. It can be a contraction of several longer terms, including Olutobi, Oluwatobi, Oluwatobiloba. It can also be a name from another culture like Tobit, and from the English culture and a variant of "Toby", which has a different meaning from the Yoruba name version also spelled Tobi.
Meaning & Origin of Tobi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tobi is a Yoruba unisex given name. It can be a contraction of several longer terms, including Olutobi, Oluwatobi, Oluwatobiloba. It can also be a name from another culture like Tobit, and from the English culture and a variant of "Toby", which has a different meaning from the Yoruba name version also spelled Tobi.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Tobi
As a girl name
Tobi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1934, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 150 Tobis were born — ranking #886 that year. As of 2026, Tobi ranks #6,711 for girls with 17 births, gradually rising (+13%). In total, more than 3K Tobis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Tobi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1966, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 36 Tobis were born — ranking #3,290 that year. As of 2026, Tobi ranks #3,602 for boys with 32 births, rising sharply (+71% over the past five years). In total, more than 663 Tobis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Tobi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tobi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tobi
What does the name Tobi mean?
How popular is Tobi in 2026?
When was Tobi most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tobi most popular?
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About the name Tobi
Tobi is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1934 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Tobi's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #886. Use the chart and map above to compare Tobi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1975 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.